Family You Never Knew
by elrmartin
Summary: Sasuke finds out that he is not all alone in this world. It's because of his biological father, Kakashi Hatake still lives. Will Kakashi want him? Will they be the happy family Sasuke so desperately wants?


Sasuke refused to say a word.

He knew he made a mistake, especially after he refused to follow his instructions. He suspected that it was the same as refusing to follow the order and that his punishment would come to him one way or another. It's been only a few days since he's been informed that unfortunately, his mother had a short-lived affair which ended with her getting pregnant and the man whom he called father was only kind enough to decide he wanted to have this child and give him his name. Sasuke could not decide whether Fugato was merciful or overly cruel.

After all, finding out that your father is not your father is one of the worst things that can happen in the life of a child, second to witnessing your entire family being murdered by your brother. Sasuke gritted his teeth together when he thought about it.

Hokage informed him yesterday that he was to meet his father but Sasuke refused to come and instead remained in his house, curled beneath the sheets. He wasn't sure what he expected. No one came to fetch him and Sasuke couldn't help but feel disappointed. It only proved that his biological father wasn't interested in meeting him and that somehow hurt even more than he would expect.

He looked at Sakura and Naruto, both of them staring at each other on the other side of the room. He had to admit that he too was tired of this endless waiting. He started to fidget, keeping his head down. He was too lost in the thought, worried. Sasuke tried to stop thinking about his father but he couldn't. For a very long time, he believed that he was all alone and that there was no one in this entire world whom he could call family and suddenly finding out that there was someone, there was his father who was probably the closest person to him at the moment, was simply terrifying. Sasuke didn't want to admit it to himself but he feared that his father might not be interested in him and that was one of the reasons why he refused to go and meet him.

Sasuke briefly raised his head when he heard the sound of the opening door, hoping that their Sensei finally decided to join them. He did his best to hide his surprise when the familiar figure appeared in the door and Sasuke almost stopped breathing. He recognized the face of his father despite seeing him only once before, at that time not even aware that Kakashi was his family. He hoped that the man didn't come to call him out because he didn't come to meet him. Sasuke didn't want Sakura and Naruto to know about his personal problems.

His father said nothing. He didn't even look at Sasuke as he entered and instead focused his attention on Sakura and Naruto, who seemed a bit bewildered now that he came. Sasuke ignored the feeling of disappointment and straightened in his seat. He waited for a moment, then Kakashi shrugged but he still didn't address Sasuke as his son.

"My first impression of this team," he said and touched looked up as if he was thinking for a moment. "You are a bunch of idiots."

Sasuke stared at him. Finally, their gazes met and he hoped to see at least a glimpse of recognition in his father's eyes but Kakashi seemed indifferent facing his son. He didn't seem surprised at all, perhaps he knew about Sasuke for a long time and simply didn't deem it necessary to be a part of his son's life or perhaps he simply accepted that he had a son and decided not to make a big deal out of it.

He motioned his newly appointed students to follow him and led them outside, walking a few steps in front of them. No one said a word during their walk, Sakura and Naruto were impatiently eyeing their new Sensei but Sasuke couldn't stop thinking. He observed the man in front of him in silence. He tried to find out whether there were some things he got after his father but so far couldn't think of any. He had the same black eyes but so did his mother so Sasuke couldn't tell from which one of his parents he got that color. He wondered why his mother slept with this man and whether Kakashi knew at that time that she was married. Did it mean that she didn't love Fugato? Did it mean that Sasuke was no longer Uchiha but Hatake?

Desperately, he wanted to ask.

Finally, Kakashi stopped walking and his new team followed his example. He turned to them, his one visible eye scanning his students but he said nothing at first. Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke sat on the ground, not sure what they should do as next. Kakashi didn't seem to mind because after a moment he relaxed too.

"I thought it would be nice if we introduced ourselves," he said and looked at them with expectation mirroring in his face.

"Introduce?" Sakura repeated with doubt in her voice and cocked her head to the side. "What do you want us to say?"

"Your name, your dreams, hobbies… things like that." Kakashi shrugged.

Sasuke lowered his head and hunched his shoulders. He wished he could avoid that. Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Maybe you should go first," he murmured, childishly observing their new Sensei. "So we can see how it goes."

Kakashi didn't protest though Sasuke could see that he was surprised by Naruto's request. "Very well," he said and Sasuke straightened, hoping that this way he might discover something about his father. He wasn't sure why it was so important for him.

"I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate… I don't feel like telling you that. My dreams for the future… never really thought about it. As for my hobbies… I have lots of hobbies."

They went one by one and Sasuke saw that Kakashi quietly observed them when he listened to their introductions. Finally, his black eyes stopped on Sasuke and Sasuke suddenly didn't know what to say. It felt wrong to reveal so much information about himself so he simply shrugged, hoping that Kakashi wouldn't bother him any longer. His Sensei refused to let go of the matter that quickly. "Go on," he prompted his son.

"There are things I like and some I don't," Sasuke said, keeping his voice low though he kept looking into his father's eye. "I have some hobbies. And my dream…" Sasuke stopped himself before he started to speak. He didn't want to tell anyone about Itachi and yet it felt right to mention him. "There is someone I want to kill. That's why I have to become strong so that I can take him down one day." For a moment it seemed that the time stopped for him. He saw no reaction in his father's face and yet he knew that Kakashi was shocked by his future dream. He expected the older man to react in some way but it didn't happen. Kakashi just waved his hand after he considered Sasuke's words and gave them instructions for tomorrow.

Then he vanished.

Sasuke was wrong when he thought that it was the end of it. He understood better later, as he roamed the village by himself. He kept his head lowered down, deep in thought. He didn't want to return back to his empty home and the idea of walking around didn't seem that terrible. That wasn't until he noticed Kakashi nearing towards him.

Sasuke stopped walking and thought about turning around and avoiding his father altogether but before he made his decision, Kakashi stopped in front of him. He was reading a book and not once bothered to look at his son and explain himself. "Ah, Sasuke," he said but didn't sound surprised at all. Sasuke suspected that Kakashi knew that he would find Sasuke this way. It was clear that he still expected them to talk, even after Sasuke failed to show up. "I think you might know why I am looking for you." Still not looking at the dark-haired man in front of him, he turned the page of his book. "Do you want to eat something?"

Sasuke looked at him strangely. He lost all his appetite so he shook his head. Kakashi finally put his book away and looked at his son. There was interested in his face. "Well then," he said and Sasuke could tell that he was smiling beneath his mask. "I'll take you home. There is no need to lead this conversation out in the cold." He started walking, not even waiting whether Sasuke will join him or not. Sasuke thought about not moving but it was pointless and he knew it. He could not push this matter aside even though he wanted to and he didn't doubt that the older man would force him to talk one way or another. He slowly moved, following Kakashi's figure.

He wasn't surprised that his father knew where he lived or that Kakashi was able to open the door without using a key. Kakashi stepped aside and allowed Sasuke to step in as first before he followed. Once the doors closed behind him, Sasuke had nowhere to run. He turned to his father with expectations, unsure of how to start this conversation. He had so many questions. Why did you sleep with my mother? Did you know that I was yours? Did you love her? Will you love me? Do you want me? He didn't have enough courage to ask them out loud. Kakashi sighed, sensing Sasuke's discomfort and went to sit on the couch.

It wasn't easy for him to talk about this matter either. It was clear that his son was unable to see his distress because Kakashi was good at hiding his emotions. He was shocked to find out that he had a son with a woman he slept years ago. He didn't think much of that one-night-stand, thinking that he won't see her again. He knew that she was married but at that time it didn't matter to him. After all, it wasn't him who seduced her, on the contrary, so he assumed that she was unhappy in her marriage. At times like that, he didn't find it necessary to ask questions. They gave each other pleasure with the knowledge that they will walk away the following morning.

Still, Kakashi would prefer if she told him about her pregnancy.

He missed most of his son's life because that and if Sasuke's family wasn't brutally murdered, perhaps Kakashi would never find out. After all, there was only a little Sasuke took after him, especially when it came to his appearance. He looked like Uchiha and though it surely was good for him to look like the rest of his family, Kakashi found himself wishing that his son looked more like instead. He stared at the boy a little longer, noticing that Sasuke was clearly uncomfortable. He wasn't that surprised that he would be posing as his son's Sensei, especially after Sasuke refused to meet with him. Kakashi looked around the little flat his son lived in and couldn't help but feel Sasuke's loneliness.

"I didn't know," he admitted, hoping it would help him to get closer to his son. "The situation would be different if I knew."

"Does it mean you would have taken me with you if you knew?" Sasuke kept his head lowered down. "Would you raise me as your son?"

"You still are my son." Kakashi stretched his long legs. "But yes. I would fight to keep you with me. After all, you are just as mine as you were your mother's. I dislike dishonesty, I wouldn't lie the world about who you are." He paused. "Does it bother you?"

Sasuke said nothing at first. It was still too much for him to take. His father seemed to want him, claimed that he would take Sasuke as his son if he had a chance. He was sure that he should feel happy that he was wanted and yet Sasuke felt like something was very wrong. "I don't know," he whispered. "I-" It was hard to think of this man as his father. He loved Fugato with all his heart and this felt like he was replacing him with a stranger. He didn't think that Fugato would be happy if he found out the truth. He doubted that he would have loved Sasuke if he knew.

"My mother was married. She already had a child with another man, with her husband." He balled his hands into fists.

"Does that make you angry? That your mother already belonged to someone else when I was with her? That I had no right?"

Sasuke's cheeks flushed red with anger. He knew that his father was observing him. It made him feel uneasy. "I don't know," he gritted out, not sure whether he should hate his father or try to win over his affection. "I just –"

Kakashi prompted him again to join him on the couch. "I can tell you this. Your mother and I met one night by accident and one thing led to another. I don't think either of us planned it but she did it with no remorse. I knew that she was married but then again, it was her choice to go with me. I tend not to touch things that aren't mine but it was her decision and her only. I have no idea why she made that choice, why she felt that way towards Fugato but I think I would rather not know at all. She's never reached for me again, she never mentioned you being my son. I met her only once afterward, already pregnant but I didn't connect the dots. It was her choice to make you part of the Uchiha clan. I don't know if Fugato knew or not but he took care of you as if you were his own. There is nothing more to that story, I am afraid."

He gently touched Sasuke's hand, squeezed it. "I had no idea you were mine," Kakashi repeated again and Sasuke saw the sadness in his uncovered eye. "When I found out, I knew I wanted to meet you immediately."

"You want me?" Sasuke shook his head in disbelief. "It's all happening too quickly. I am not sure how, I am sorry…"

Kakashi didn't seem to mind one bit. "We can figure it out," he promised and sounded sincere. "I don't know how to be a dad but I can try." It felt good, having Sasuke this close. He still could tell that his son didn't feel very comfortable but at least he allowed Kakashi to touch him.

Sasuke didn't say a word. He wanted to agree with the other man, give into his reassurances that everything might end up well. He was too afraid to hope in happy endings, after all, his life has been all but stripped of them so far.


End file.
